updated 09:40 am EDT, Wed October 1, 2008

Citigroup vs. G. Sachs

New analysis of Apple's difficult financial situation has yielded two significantly different views. Richard Gardner of Citigroup has cut his price target for Apple stock by more than $100, down to $170 from $287. Blame is laid on a 3 percent decline in industry computer sales, and a 12 percent drop in music revenue throughout 2008. Apple's guidance, normally thought by analysts to be too conservative, may in fact prove accurate for the fourth quarter, Gardner suggests.

An EPS of $5.29 on sales of $32.68 billion is now predicted for FY08, which is just coming to a close, while FY09 figures are expected to produce an EPS of $5.43 off of $35.2 billion. Because Apple is set to grow, Gardner is still issuing a buy rating, with the observation that the company will likely outperform most rival computer, electronics and phone makers.

An analyst for Goldman Sachs, David Baily, has meanwhile kept to a higher stock target, at approximately $200. Monday's share slide more than compensated for any worries about growth in Mac sales, Baily contends, and Apple should be buoyed in the fourth calendar quarter by the iPhone. Shipments of 4.6 million iPhones and 2.7 million Macs are currently predicted for Apple's September financial quarter.

Ya everyone of them has been "right" for the last Year. Every-time they put out these fictitious numbers Apples Stock goes down. Look at the names GS,CG,GG they are all corrupt. Your stupid to buy into the market now.

Yea, the industry, but that's not Apple. Apple has been in a league by itself for the last two years beating all estimates that any of these IDIOTS have thrown. Apple has innovative products while the industry has the same old same old. Windows c*** that doesn't work or barely works if you can fend off the spyware and viruses everyday. And these people are the very same people that have probably caused are financial crises and are begging the government to bail them out. I bet that Apple beats the expectations AGAIN!

Apple is not in a "difficult financial situation". On the contrary. Apple is positioned to ride out this crisis of liquidity much better than many of America's Fortune 500 firms. The CEO of AT&T said his firm is having trouble borrowing funds needed for operations. In contrast, Apple has $20B in cash and other current assets. Using the phrase "Apple's difficult financial situation" is a strange choice of words to explain the drop in Apple's share price over recent days.

they have $20B in the bank, have packed retail stores (yes, even now), consistently release successful products and they are highly profitable, you idiots. what difficult financial situation?

the banking system finally tanks after decades of abuse, the stock market over-corrects and suddenly apple is in a "difficult financial situation"? even amidst the current chaos, they are still targeted for increased (that means "going up"), earnings and EPS. increased.

MacNN, please find someone who has at least graduated middle school to start writing/editing for you. please.

This is the prime time to invest!!!! If you believe that the economy will recover next week. It is the perfect time to invest if you think the economy will recover in 5 years. It all depends on when you want or expect to cash out.Buy Low sell high. I know of a few banks that are having a fire sale!!!

but some PC companies are definitely going to the wall, especially as their mainstays - faceless corporate clients cut back on spending - that is going to make the computing landscape interesting again

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